teartimes spring 2011

timesSpring 2011

tear

Global callto prayerChurches gatherto pray withOneVoice

Changingthe climateHow you canmake a standfor poorcommunities

Back toschoolin HaitiLives restoredone year on

Be part of a miracle | www.tearfund.org

Copyright © Tearfund 2010. All rights reserved.

Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication

for Tearfund promotional use only. For all other uses, please contact us.

Cover image: Children at Gais Rossignol Primary School meeting in

emergency classrooms – the school building was destroyed in the

2010 Haiti earthquake. Richard Hanson/Tearfund

welcome

2 spring 2011 teartimes

Editor: Peter Shaw News Editor: Mark Lang

Design: Premm Design Print: Pindar Graphics

TearfundWe are Christians passionate about the local church bringing justice and

transforming lives – overcoming global poverty. And so our ten-year vision

is to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty

through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches.

We can support you if you want to encourage your church and others

to get involved with Tearfund. And if you have any questions, we’d be

delighted to talk to you.

hrough Tear Times, we want

to connect you directly with

poor people across the world.

We want you to feel close to

individuals, families and communities

to show you how your prayers, your

campaigning and your giving are

transforming lives and extending

God’s Kingdom.

When I first saw the photo of

Evelyn (bottom right), it stopped

me in my tracks. A young girl who

survived the devastating earthquake – 4,500 miles away – enjoying seeing

photos of herself in Tear Times. For me, it makes it clear that people in Haiti

know that they are not forgotten and that Jesus – through the local church –

is providing for them.

This issue, we look back at a year of transformation in Haiti (see page 8).

It’s just a small snapshot of how your amazing outpouring of generosity

is directly, measurably, improving the lives of people in Haiti.

Thanks to you, people have shelter and a well-funded

programme to rebuild their homes. Children can

go to school; men and women have started small

businesses. And throughout, the community of

the church has been at the heart of our response,

offering not just daily essentials and a long-term

rebuilding programme – but also hope for eternity.

Peter Shaw, Editor

[email protected]

T

timesSpring 2011

tear

Global call

to prayer

Churches gather

to pray with

OneVoice

Changing

the climate

How youcan

make a stand

for poor

communities

Back to

school

in Haiti

Lives restored

one yearon

Be partof a mir

acle | www.tearfu

nd.org

Peter Shaw, Tear Times Editor and children,Huaycan Community, Lima, Peru.

RalphHodgson/Tearfund

24

8

teartimes spring 2011 3

CONTENTS

4 News – Pakistan floods responseand updates from across the world

8 Hope for Haiti – one year on fromthe devastating earthquake

12 Faith on the front line – howTearfund responds to disasters

14 Unless a seed falls to the ground –story of a family that turned hurtinto hope

16 World view – villagers united torebuild a road in Haiti

18 Holding firm in fragile times –protecting our neighbours acrossthe world

21 Hope, healing and the local church –church mobilisation in action

24 One Voice – a global poverty prayermovement

28 Recovering the fullness of thegospel – interview with theologianRuth Padilla DeBorst

31 Shining light in Haiti – God movingin the aftermath of the earthquake

14

RichardHanson/Tearfund

Haiti: Earthquake survivor Evelyn sees herself in Tear Times.


housands of Pakistanis are receiving

Tearfund help to rebuild homes and

livelihoods six months after the worst

flooding in living memory. Exceptional

monsoon rain last summer led to dramatic

floods which swept from the north to

the south of the country and affected

20 million people.

More than 1,700 died in the disaster which

prompted Tearfund to launch an emergency

appeal that was supported by many churches

across the UK. Ashraf Mall, Tearfund’s Country

Representative for Pakistan, said, ‘We really

appreciate the generosity of local churches

in the UK. The £2.9 million funds raised have

enabled us to respond quickly and help people

in desperate need.’

Initially Tearfund partners responded with

relief aid, such as food and shelter materials,

to help people who had in many cases seen

their homes destroyed or severely damaged

and their possessions washed away.

Lack of shelter was a particular problem as

many poorer people lived in homes made of

weak unbaked bricks which simply could not

withstand the flood waters. Perial, 60, from

Mohammed Khan Jayo village in Upper Sindh

Province, saw his house destroyed two days

after the floods started.

‘The last time I saw flooding like this was

in 1973, but it didn’t cause my house to

collapse,’ said Perial, who received aid from

our partner SSEWA-Pak. SSEWA-Pak mounted

the biggest partner aid operation, supporting

more than 25,000 people across Pakistan.

Additionally, free medical checks, water

purification and psycho-social support for

children were provided by our partner ABES

in Punjab. In Sindh, the Association for

Humanitarian Development distributed 2,000

kits containing food, cooking goods, shelter

materials and hygiene equipment.

Efforts are now being concentrated on

longer-term recovery projects, such as helping

restore food stocks, agriculture-based

livelihoods, water supplies, sanitation and

shelter. Temporary shelter is currently one

of the biggest needs as flood victims endure

the winter months – around 7 million people

are still homeless.

Tearfund staff and partners are also involved

in health promotion and projects to reduce

vulnerability to future disasters. Ashraf said,

‘Our work is now in the rehabilitation phase

and there is much to do as so many people

lost their homes and their means of making

a living.’ Please pray for Ashraf, his team from

Tearfund and our partners in what is still an

unfolding disaster.

T

NEWSAshrafM

all/Tearfund

Tearfund is implementing a long-term recovery plan following the devastating floods in Pakistan.

Tearfund responds to Pakistan floods‘The £2.9 million funds raised have

enabled us to respond quickly and

help people in desperate need.’

Ashraf Mall, Tearfund’s Country

Representative for Pakistan

©Peter

Martell/IRIN


lease keep Sudan in your prayers as the

country faces a key moment in its

political history. By the time you receive

this Tear Times, the people of Southern Sudan

should have voted in a referendum on

whether to become separate from the rest of

the country.

In January 2005, following 21 years of

civil war, the government of Sudan and

the Sudanese People’s Liberation

Movement/Army signed a Comprehensive

Peace Agreement.

This opened up a new chapter in Sudan’s

history – with the war officially over, a six-

year interim government was formed. As part

of the peace agreement, Southern Sudan is

due to hold a referendum on 9 January to

determine whether or not it should remain

part of Sudan.

Tearfund has worked in South Sudan since

1998, in response to the famine in the Bahr el

Ghazal region. Since then we have expanded

the programme with operations in three more

states, Upper Nile, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and

Jonglei. These areas suffered greatly during the

civil war and are particularly prone to drought

and floods.

In Darfur, western Sudan – where Tearfund

has operated since 2004 – we provide water

and sanitation support, health promotion with

vulnerable children, food security work and

nutrition activities, and we respond to

emergency needs as they arise.

This year is crucial as the peace agreement

nears completion – particularly for the poorest

people in Sudan in the communities where

Tearfund works – and your prayers and support

are vital.

2011 referendum: lifting up Sudan in prayer

Inspiring conference prepares church leaders for missionMore than 300 church leaders and outreach

workers attended the Community Mission

conference last autumn aimed at preparing

churches to get active and involved in their

communities.

Speakers at the London event, named

Authentic Church, included Alpha’s Nicky

Gumbel, the Evangelical Alliance’s Krish

Kandiah and Tearfund’s David Westlake.

They set out to inspire churches with the

desire to proclaim and demonstrate the

gospel in their localities and their messages

were followed up by practical workshops

where delegates could explore ideas further.

One church leader who attended the

conference said, ‘My team found it very

practical and useful for their work. It was

really worthwhile attending.’

Community Mission is a partnership

between Tearfund and Livability.

For more information go to

www.communitymission.org.uk

P

Still recovering from the civil war, the people of Southern Sudan prepare for a referendum.


MPs across the UK have

been told to take urgent

action over climate change

by Tearfund supporters.

The Big Climate Connection

last November saw

concerned constituents lobby

politicians of all persuasions

to speak up on the issue.

The event aimed to keep

up climate pressure on

parliamentarians after the

failure of world leaders to

come up with a fair and just

climate agreement at the

2009 UN talks in Copenhagen.

In constituency-based

meetings with MPs,

supporters urged them to

hold the coalition government

to its promise to be the

greenest UK administration

yet and to show global

leadership on tackling

climate change.

news

LaytonThom

pson/Tearfund

Keeping thegovernment green

he humble pig is

making hunger a thing

of the past for rural

families in Malawi. Four

years ago, most villagers in

Kamphata, north of the

capital Lilongwe, were too

poor to have livestock.

That’s changed due to the

work of Tearfund partner

Agreds which introduced a

pig-breeding project to boost

locals’ livelihoods.

Kamphata’s residents were

each given three pigs and

training in how to feed and

look after them, including

how to maintain pigsties

and how to source and pay

for animal medicines.

T

Supporters with smart

phones from Apple can now

boost Tearfund’s campaigns

by using our first iPhone

application.

Tearfund’s online

campaigning mascot,

SuperBadger, is available

as an app, making it easier

for people to add their

names to petitions calling

for a fairer and more just

world. You can download

the SuperBadger app free

of charge from Apple’s

online store, iTunes.

SuperBadgerfor iPhone

Pigs are flying in Malawi

A young pig in Fombe village, Malawi.


OwenRoseblade/Roseblade

Photography

Tearfund reunited: volunteers Jean and Catrin were brought together after 40 years when their respectivechildren met and married.

PRAYER PULSEPrayer is the heartbeat of Tearfund

Continuing progress in rebuilding

lives in Haiti, a year after the

earthquake.

Generous support for our

Zimbabwe appeal, which is

allowing us to teach more people

how to grow sufficient food.

Work by Tearfund partners in

Russia to tackle rising levels of

drug addiction and its social

consequences.

GIVIN

GTHANKSFOR

PRAYIN

GFOR

�

Latest prayer news at www.tearfund.org/praying

ere’s a story that just goes to show

how volunteering with Tearfund can

lead to some surprising connections.

In 1972, Jean Morgan attended a Tearfund

work camp at The Nazareth Hospital.

Fast-forward nearly 40 years and Jean’s

eldest daughter, Lois, becomes engaged to

a man called Alex. When, months before the

wedding, the two families meet for the first

time, Jean gets chatting to Alex’s mum, Catrin.

In the course of the conversation, the

Tearfund camp at The Nazareth Hospital

crops up and it emerges that Catrin was

also a volunteer at exactly the same time.

Then, when they inspect an old group

photo, Jean and Catrin realise they were

actually sitting next to each other in the

shot! To bring you bang up to date, here’s

a picture of the two mothers at Lois and

Alex’s wedding.

Now, while we can’t promise new family

connections when you’re travelling with

Tearfund, we can offer you amazing

experiences.

Visit www.tearfund.org/transform

H

Betterconnected(through Tearfund)

The ongoing recovery of Pakistan,

where 20 million people were

affected by last August’s floods.

A mass movement of churches

around the world to take part

in Tearfund’s OneVoice prayer

movement – coming together

as a global church to seek God.

The people of the Sahel region

of West Africa who have suffered

severe food shortages after

drought and then flooding

ruined harvests.

haiti update


The Haitian earthquake last January devastated an

already impoverished Caribbean country. One year on,

Lynsey Pollard – who travels regularly to Haiti to report

on Tearfund’s response – describes how the generosity

and prayers of our supporters have had a massive impact

on the lives of those who lost everything in the disaster.

Words: Lynsey Pollard Photos: Richard Hanson/Tearfund

Water collection atan internally displacedpeople camp in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

HAITI –ONEYEAR ON

ne year ago – 12 January 2010 –

François Nicolas, who was 79, washed

himself in the river next to his house.

Floating in the water, enjoying the peace and

quiet after a hard day on the farm, he heard

a low rumbling noise. Opening his eyes, he

saw tonnes of land from the hill heading down

towards him like a waterfall. It was a landslide.

Terrified, he leapt up as the falling debris

cascaded into the pool he had bathed in

moments before. ‘I almost died,’ he says.

‘The ground was falling in on me. I only

just escaped.’

François was fortunate. Many were not.

That was the moment Haiti was rocked by a

massive earthquake. More than 200,000 people

lost their lives. Fifty miles away in Port-au-

Prince, thousands of buildings disintegrated,

burying people alive and injuring many

thousands more.

In less than 40 seconds, 1.5 million people

had been made homeless and, as darkness fell,

they were running terrified through the streets

of the collapsing city.


Call of the church

Survivors were left injured and confused with

nothing but the clothes on their back. But, deep

inside, something was calling them.

‘My house fell on my husband, I lost him...’

says 40-year-old Elissaint Margareth. ‘I was

screaming, crying. All of us went to the streets.

But we knew where we had to go – to the

church.’ Along with her neighbours, Elissaint

headed for the local church run by Tearfund

partner the Council of Evangelical Churches

of Haiti (CEEH).

Tearfund has worked in Haiti for 30 years

through Haitian partners and local churches. So,

despite suffering heavy personal losses – losing

beloved colleagues, friends and family members

– our partners set to work.

The Union of Evangelical Baptists in Haiti

(UEBH) opened up the grounds of its Bible

college for homeless people who came to look

for shelter. CEEH set up a camp for desperate

people who sought refuge at its church and

Tearfund distributed cash to many hundreds of

families so they could buy essentials to survive

the first few weeks.

Giving life back

Your compassion, love and prayers resulted

in an incredible £6.2 million from our appeal.

As our partners worked to their full capacity,

Tearfund’s disaster response team quickly

reached Haiti to offer support and start

O

‘I was screaming, crying.

All of us went to the streets.

But we knew where we had

to go – to the church.’Haiti earthquake survivor Elissaint Margareth

Elissaint Margareth, who lost her husband and home in the Haiti earthquake, found support and shelter at achurch supported by Tearfund partner CEEH.


haiti update

programmes to help the communities around

Léogâne – a city close to the quake’s epicentre

that was almost completely destroyed.

Monette and Françoise Jean, who are sisters,

run one of the Tearfund-supported children’s

clubs in Gressier, a few miles outside of

Léogâne. ‘It is a way for us to give life back

to the children,’ says Françoise. ‘Before, there

was only sadness, but now we can bring joy

and teach them what they need to know to

stay healthy.’

Monette adds, ‘We want to congratulate and

thank Tearfund supporters for this amazing

initiative. Despite all the problems, children

now have a brighter future.’

In the initial few months we supplied

temporary shelter – such as tarpaulins – to

1,687 families and distributed seed and tools to

around 1,500 families. Some 3,600 people have

been involved in rehabilitating their villages and

roads through cash-for-work schemes. Now,

around 5,750 children are attending our 117

children’s clubs which provide a safe place

for children in areas where sometimes formal

education has never been offered before.

Tearfund’s local partners were able to respond

to the earthquake from day one, through

medical work and distribution of emergency

relief items, and have already reached around

150,000 people.

‘We want to congratulate and

thank Tearfund supporters for this

amazing initiative. Despite all the

problems, children now have a

brighter future.’Monette, who runs a Tearfund-supported

children’s club

But it’s still early days in Haiti’s recovery.

The new Haitian government has much work

still to do to tackle the loss of infrastructure

and lack of basic services. Tearfund’s disaster

response team plans to be in Haiti for at least

the next three years, working alongside the

local church and other partners in

rehabilitation programmes.

‘Jesus Christ is our only hope’

As I have visited affected areas in Haiti, so

many local church leaders have told me how

encouraged they have been by the warmth

and kindness of Tearfund supporters. They live

by faith, bolstered by your prayers and

generosity.

As AFCA pastor Rene Deciere looks to the

future, he knows that God is in charge.

‘The church has to go beyond its spiritual

responsibility and has to help people socially

as Jesus Christ himself did,’ he says. ‘Jesus

Christ is our only hope.’

Tearfund children’s club – whichhelps the traumatised children staysafe and healthy – outside Leogane,Haiti. The club is co-run by MonetteJean (pictured, in grey).


2010 was a year of devastating disasters.

Along with the earthquake in Haiti, there were

the floods in Pakistan and severe drought in

the Sahel region of Africa.Who knows what

will hit in 2011...

‘The church has to go beyond

its spiritual responsibility and has

to help people socially as Jesus

Christ himself did.’ Pastor Rene

Deciere, from Tearfund partner AFCA

Give now. Save later.No one knows when the next disaster

will strike but it’s vital that we respond

quickly and effectively. A regular donation

to our Disasters Fund gives us the

resources we need for a rapid response

to an emergency. If you feel moved to

help, please complete and return the

tear-out form between pages 8 and 9,

visit www.tearfund.org/disasters or call

0845 355 8355 (ROI: 01 878 3200).

Please continue to pray for Haiti,

particularly for people recovering from

injuries and for the 1.5 million people still

living in temporary shelter.

disasters

he midday heat is blistering.

Combined with a keen wind, it feels

like a hairdryer’s being blown in your

face. Kaltoma, in her 60s, is sheltering in

a small tent just outside the Sudanese

town of Kass after fleeing her home to

escape fighting.

It’s a flat, dusty and uninviting environment

but one where Tearfund is meeting the most

urgent needs of this elderly lady and her

family. Plastic sheets provide them with

shelter, water is on tap and toilets have been

dug. Kaltoma’s been given cups, pans, cooking

utensils and jerry cans too.

The true value of these items is underlined

by her reaction to them. They’ve given her

hope. That’s something Tearfund provides

thanks to the enduring compassion of people

like you who, through prayer and donations,

have a direct impact on the lives of those

facing extreme hardship.

From natural disasters, such as the floods

in Pakistan or the drought in the Sahel region

of West Africa, to humanitarian crises, such as

conflict in Sudan and the Democratic Republic

of Congo, Tearfund responds quickly – often in

the first few days of a disaster – and we stay

for the long term.

T

When disaster strikes– we’re thereFrom the earthquake in Haiti to floods in Pakistan, 2010 was a year of disasters.

Even in these extreme situations, Tearfund’s response is fast and effective.

Words: Mark Lang

A makeshift camp for families fleeing the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.


‘When disasters strike, poorcommunities don’t have thesupport structures to cope.’


spring 2011 teartimes 13

Born in disaster

In fact, it was the Biafra crisis in 1967 that led

to the creation of Tearfund.We exist because

of the compassion of Christians and churches

moved to respond to that desperate situation.

Fifty years later, people in poverty are still

invariably those who suffer the most when

disasters hit. Lack of income means poor

people’s choices are limited when it comes

to where they can live and what access they

have to healthcare and education.When

disasters strike, they don’t have the support

structures to cope.

Tearfund responds to disasters in two ways.

In many countries, we work with partner

organisations and local churches, developing

long-term relationships to best support

communities in desperate need.

These partners know which communities

are vulnerable to problems, such as drought

or flooding, and work with them to save lives.

For example, we educate people about early

warning signs of disaster – and explain what

to do when they see them.

In drought-prone Niger, Tearfund partners

have been running projects for many years to

help communities cope with changing climatic

conditions.We do this through agricultural

training to conserve livestock pasture, by

creating grain banks for hard times and by

promoting literacy and education.

Tearfund on the front line

The second way we operate is through disaster

response teams, trained Tearfund disaster staff

who often work alongside local partners.

We currently have teams in north and south

Sudan, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo,

Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Staff are not only deployed when disasters

strike to help survivors with their immediate

needs but remain there to ‘build back better’,

which means making communities more

resilient, reducing the impact of future disasters.

Our disasters work has never been more

needed.We can’t be sure that an individual

drought like Niger’s or a flood like Pakistan’s

was caused by climate change, but we are sure

that future climate change means more and

worse disasters like these.

High standards

Underpinning all our work is a commitment

to high professional and technical standards,

which is why we’re a signatory to the

International Red Cross Code of Conduct

for Non-Governmental Organisations in

Disaster Relief, and a member of the

Humanitarian Accountability Partnership.

Both equip us to best provide for people

at the sharp end of disasters.

People like Mahadia in Darfur, who was able

to take her undernourished baby daughter to

a feeding centre run by Tearfund where she

gets food, medicines and health advice.

People like the millions in Pakistan devastated

six months ago when extreme monsoon rains

led to floods which claimed lives, homes and

livelihoods. Here, our partners not only

provided thousands of people with emergency

aid such as food in the immediate aftermath,

but are now working with a Tearfund response

team on long-term rehabilitation projects.

Of course, this vital work wouldn’t be possible

without the continued generosity of Tearfund

supporters, like you, for which we are truly

grateful. If you would like to stand with us –

as we stand with those in need – please give

at www.tearfund.org/disasters or use the

tear-out form between pages 8 and 9.

Please continue to pray for our partners and

Tearfund teams in some of the countries

hardest hit by disasters.

More than 21 million people were injured or lefthomeless as a result of the Pakistan floods in Julyand August 2010.

Ashraf

Mall/Tearfund

stories of transformation

Unless aseed fallsto theground…


ablu half-remembers going with his

parents at the age of four to a big

market and getting separated. It was

the last time he saw them. He ended up in

a station begging for food and then stowed

away on a Calcutta train, which is how he

ended up at the huge train station at Howrah.

There, he scavenged for food on the long-

distance trains as they arrived, and slept on

the platform with other boys. The police

would move them on and beat them up. But

gradually he made some friends and a little

money washing dishes for the fruit sellers.

One night, a taxi ran over his legs as he

slept and, though his friends took him to the

hospital, he could hardly walk afterwards.

Meanwhile, halfway across the world, my

family and I were on a walk when our son,

Matthew, tripped and fell down a slope, hitting

his head on a tree, and was killed. He was ten.

Pain and promise

A great deal of money was raised in Matthew’s

memory. And, as he was a great Tearfund

supporter, we gave it to Tearfund, who used it

to finance a new children’s home in Calcutta.

Vijayan Pavamani was a church minister and

director of Tearfund’s local church partner

Emmanuel Ministries in Calcutta. He and his

wife, Premila, had long wanted to start a home

for the boys from the station and George

Hoffman, the founder of Tearfund, agreed to

finance it.

They went to the station at Howrah and

befriended Bablu and some other boys. They

offered Bablu a place in their new home –

which was named Pauline Bhavan, after George

Hoffman’s wife, Pauline. The home was like

heaven to Bablu: people cared for him, gave him

food, a bed, even a bath.

One day, Bablu had a visitor from England,

who brought some toys to Pauline Bhavan. It

was me. I had come to see the home we had

helped to finance through Matthew’s death,

and to gain some consolation from seeing other

children’s lives transformed as a result.

Bablu’s journey

Gradually, Bablu recovered and was able to run

and play again. But the pull of freedom at the

station was too strong and three times he ran

away back to Howrah. Each time Vijayan and

B

Bob Jackson, a former Anglican

archdeacon and a Tearfund

supporter, writes passionately

about his own loss – and the

opportunity it created to provide

for vulnerable children in India.

Words: Bob Jackson

Photos: Christine Jackson

Bablu (left) who was rescued

from a life on the streets in

Calcutta by Tearfund partner

Emmanuel Ministries.

Premila went looking for him and persuaded

him back when they could so easily have given

up. They had also started a school named

Emmanuel and Bablu was able to go there as

well. He discovered he was bright and good at

his studies, though the routine and discipline

were hard to adjust to.

There were Bible stories at Pauline Bhavan

and sometimes Bablu went to Emmanuel

Chapel on Sundays but he never fully met

with Jesus. So was Jesus real? By the time he

was 16, he had lots of questions about God,

surrounded as he was by all sorts of religions,

but he was still looking for the answer.

Then, one day, a five-year-old girl at church

was very sick. Her parents had tried everything

and, in desperation, they

took her to Vijayan. He

called the church elders

over and they prayed for

her as Bablu looked on. While they prayed, the

girl got up and moved around for the first time

in many days – she was healed. Bablu realised

there was someone watching over them, and

that Jesus’ love was real. The next year, 1990,

he was baptised.

Bablu eventually went to serve Jesus on a

missionary ship, touring the world. One holiday,

back in Calcutta, he met Debbie, a volunteer at

Pauline Bhavan from Ireland. They married in

2007.Vijayan and Premila had long wanted

Bablu to take over as warden of Pauline Bhavan

because of his natural understanding of the

children. The previous warden left in December

2006, so Debbie and Bablu joined the leadership

team after their wedding.

‘The Lord adds a son of encouragement’

A new generation had taken over and the ministry

continued. Last Easter, we enjoyed visiting Bablu

and Debbie and playing with their little daughter,

Sarah, as well as the other children.

After Matthew died, we had another son,

Joseph Barnabas, a name that means ‘the Lord

adds a son of encouragement’. Joe had visited

Calcutta with us and developed his own interest

in Pauline Bhavan, donating his 18th birthday

money to the programme. Last Easter, Joe

married Nicola in London and the collection

at their wedding service went to Emmanuel

Ministries. A new generation is taking over in

England as well, and the support continues.

Links between Tearfund partners and

supporters can be long term, life long, passed on

to future generations, rich and fulfilling, giving

and receiving in both directions. My family has

gained more than it has given from the family of

Emmanuel Ministries, but the real winner is the

kingdom of the God who sees the whole future

and knows the generations yet unborn.

Bob Jackson now focuses on church growth

research, teaching,writing and consultancy.

If you have a story to share about your

own experience as a Tearfund supporter,

we’d love to hear from you. Please contact

us at [email protected] or call

0845 355 8355 (ROI: 01 878 3200).

‘Links between Tearfund

partners and supporters

can be long term, rich

and fulfilling, giving and

receiving in both directions.’

15

Bob Jackson returns to

visit the children of

Pauline Bhavan children’s

home in Easter 2010.


Tearfund photographer Richard Hanson says,

‘We drove into the mountains south west of

Port-au-Prince, to where much of Tearfund’s

work is concentrated. After days of struggling

through the traffic, dust and rubble of the city,

we climbed a dirt road and faced an entire

village working together to build themselves

a road, with support from Tearfund. It was

beautiful, powerful, and hugely encouraging.’

Photo: Richard Hanson

worldview

HOLDING FIRM


‘The earth is the Lord’s, and

everything in it’ (Psalm 24:1) and he

created us to live in it, to be amazed

by it and to glorify him by caring for

the precious people he has put on it.

Words: Helen Heather

ut, with growing signs of environmental

destruction, not least through climate

change, it’s clear that we have often failed

to look after God’s creation – and the effects

are causing greater suffering for people living in

poverty throughout the world.

The devastating floods in Pakistan, and Russia’s

worst drought in decades last year, remind us

that the climate is changing – resulting in more

extreme and unpredictable weather, floods and

droughts, leading in turn to more disasters. It is

difficult to attribute individual events like those

in Pakistan and Russia directly to climate

change. But we know they are consistent with

the climate impacts that science predicts – and

that they are on the increase.

B

REUTERS/Stringer

courtesywww.alertnet.org

climate change

IN FRAGILE TIMES


And as the impacts of a changing climate

take their toll, it’s our poorest and most

vulnerable neighbours across the world who

suffer the most. They’re dependent on the land

for food, their homes are often more fragile in

marginal areas and they lack resources and

insurance to recover from disaster. This can

push them further into poverty resulting in:

• more precarious farming and failed

harvests: ‘It’s getting harder to get a good

harvest – I now grow half of what I used to,’

says Emmanuel Niampa from Ouindigi in

Burkina Faso.

• lost homes: ‘In the past 15 years we’ve seen

much heavier rain... Our houses are made of

mud so we have a problem when the rains

come,’ says Laxman Rishi Dev from

Ranjung-Belgachhia in Nepal.

• having to find alternative income and food:

‘It's hard to view farming as dependable.

Because of the changing climate, it's not

sustainable,’ says Andrew Maglasey from

Fombe Village in Malawi.

‘It’s getting harder to get

a good harvest – I now grow

half of what I used to.’Emmanuel Niampa from Ouindigi

in Burkina Faso.

Across the world, churches are helping to

bring hope in the face of climate change –

answering God’s call to love our neighbours

and be good stewards of his creation. Homes

are being rebuilt, tree planting and flood

defences are protecting land from floods and

drought-resistant seeds are bringing more

reliable harvests (continued over).

Speak truth

If you’re unsure about climate change, or

know people who are, check out Tearfund’s

guide to the arguments used to claim that

climate change isn’t happening, and read

articles written by Sir John Houghton –

a world-class climate scientist, a Christian

and adviser to Tearfund at

www.tearfund.org/science

Shelter from the storm:

more than two thousand

people died and over

a million homes were

destroyed in the devastating

floods in Pakistan in 2010.

Emmanuel Niampa and his wife Salimata from

Ouindigi from Burkina Faso, who have seen their

harvests halved as the climate changes.

SeverineFlores/Tearfund

climate change Climate facts

• 2010 tied with 1998 as the warmest

January–August period on record(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2010)

• Climatic changes are estimated to cause

more than 150,000 deaths annually(World Health Organisation)

• It’s estimated that developing countries

will bear most of the costs of damage due

to climate change – some 78–80 per cent(World Development Report 2010)

• Climate change is estimated to increase

the number of undernourished people

to 40–170 million (4th IPCC Assessment Report)

But urgent action is also needed to tackle

the causes of climate change. If we are to

keep global temperature rise under control,

rich countries must make deep emissions

cuts and raise billions of dollars a year

to help developing countries adapt and

develop sustainably.

Climate urgency

It may be selfish ambition, fear of lifestyle

changes, worry about the financial cost,

questions about the science or being blind to

the urgency of the situation. But, the fact is

the wealthiest countries most responsible for

climate change are failing to recognise and

take action to curb the unjust impacts of

unsustainable consumption and energy use.

The church is in the places worst hit by

climate change and it’s in the wealthiest

nations most responsible for it. So it can play

a key part in transforming the situation.

Burkina Faso’s annual carbon footprint is less than 0.1

tonnes per person – in the UK it’s 9.4 tones per person.

Tearfund partners have provided emergency aid following the Pakistan floods, such as food and cooking

equipment, as well as setting up healthcare centres.


LaytonThom

pson/TearfundAshraf

Mall/Tearfund

Changing our own lives to live more in step

with creation, remembering, as the psalmist

says, that it’s created by and for God – and that

God’s people depend on it.We must convince

our friends, our churches and our government

to love our neighbours and the world that God

created by acting upon this injustice and

praying for God’s power to change hearts and

minds among politicians and policymakers –

and spur us into action too.

Take action

Join the church's response to climate change

this Lent. Take part in the Carbon Fast –

simple daily steps to live more sustainably,

speak up for justice and pray. Find out

more and order Carbon Fast resources

at www.tearfund.org/carbonfast or call

0845 355 8355 (ROI: 01 878 3200).

church mobilisation

e expect change to come from

studying the Bible – maybe a

deepening of our understanding of

God or a prompting to alter our lifestyle. But

can a Bible study ‘reduce the killing of elderly

women’? Yes, it can. And does. It is just one of

the many fruits of what Tearfund calls church

mobilisation, a process that starts – and

continues – with studying scripture. And it’s

at the very heart of Tearfund’s vision.

When an evaluation was made in 2005 of

the church and community mobilisation

programme of Africa Inland Church in the

Diocese of Shinyanga, Tanzania, some amazing

results came to light. Fewer elderly people

were killed, families were strengthened, fewer

women were beaten and poor people were

given greater support and value in the

community. And the local church grew.

Not just in the size of congregations –

one church trebled in size – but also in

the active contribution and involvement

of church members.

‘I had a message for the church in Tanzania

that Tearfund was about relationship with

the church at the centre.’Peter Gitau

W


Willow Creek pastor Bill Hybels has a saying: ‘The local church is the

hope of the world.’ Tearfund is seeing the church’s hope in Jesus

transform communities in some of the poorest places on earth...

Words: Peter Shaw

Hope, Healingand The Local Church

Tanzania: structured Biblestudy helps churches torealise their responsibilityto the poorest people intheir communities.



church mobilisation

Humble revolutionaries

‘All the believers were together and had

everything in common. Selling their

possessions and goods, they gave to anyone

as he had need... And the Lord added to their

number daily those who were being saved.’

Acts 2: 44-45 & 47.

As we see from the book of Acts, church and

community mobilisation is not new, but it’s

still a revolutionary idea. The church – the

gathering of God’s people – is key to God’s

mission on earth. In chapter 3 of Paul’s letter

to the Ephesian churches, he explains that

God’s intention is that, through the church,

his wisdom should be made manifest.

Tearfund’s vision is about building up

churches in the world’s poorest communities

so that they are equipped to carry out God’s

purposes. Peter Gitau was one of the pioneers

of church mobilisation in Tanzania and Kenya.

He has now left Tearfund to become Kenyan

Ambassador for Namibia and Angola – an

amazing testament to his 12 years of

dedicated work with Tearfund.

Back in 1998, when he initially encountered

Tanzanian churches looking to partner with

Tearfund, Peter’s first impression was of

people expecting others to provide for their

needs. ‘Early on, it was clear that Tearfund

was perceived as just a grant-giving

organisation,’ he says. ‘But I had a message

for the church in Tanzania that Tearfund was

about partnership. It is a relationship with

the church at the centre.’

Peter began to realise that his role was to give

back to churches their original purpose – not

only to be active in worshipping together and

sharing the gospel but also in serving each other

and their neighbours with what they had. ‘My

first task was to help them understand their true

identity through Bible study. And they started to

realise they did have resources, and that

partnership wasn’t just about receiving: they

were also expected to give.

‘They believed they had nothing to give.

But they began to understand that Tearfund was

seeking partners to reach out to poor people,

and to enable the church to carry out that work.’

Tanzania: getting churches active in their communities is key to church mobilisation.

Caroline

Irby/Tearfund


By giving churches expertise and helping

them discover their God-given abilities and

resources, we can make sure that the work

is sustainable. ‘The dependence syndrome

is minimised because churches realise they

have the capacity,’ says Peter.

‘Tearfund has significantly built up the

church of Christ.’Peter Gitau

God’s instrument

Throughout our work, Tearfund recognises

that God’s intention is that his church should

make his wisdom manifest. But that is not to

claim that all churches have got everything

right. ‘There is no point looking for a perfect

church – it does not exist,’ says Peter. ‘But

when God calls us to work with a church

which we think is weak, we must remember

that, in that area, that church is the

instrument the Lord is using.’

In Matthew 5:13–16, Jesus calls on his

followers to be salt and light to the world. But

he also issues a warning that they should not

lose their ‘saltiness’ or hide their light away.

Tearfund has a vision to see 50 million people

released from material and spiritual poverty

through a worldwide network of 100,000 local

churches. Church mobilisation keeps churches

‘salty’ and lets their light shine.

‘While Tearfund does not stand in the

pulpit,’ says Peter, ‘by building the capacity

of the local church, we have achieved

amazing things. Tearfund has significantly

built up the church of Christ.’

See for yourself the incredible way that

local churches are mobilising their

communities out of poverty. Tearfund

invites you to invest in a community in

Africa, Asia or Latin America – month by

month – and see it transformed from the

inside out. You’ll get monthly updates,

quarterly films and the opportunity to be

part of seeing things change.

Find full details in the next issue

of Tear Times.

‘My first task was to help churches

understand their true identity through

Bible study.’Peter Gitau

Taking ownership

One of the keys to church mobilisation is

helping churches realise their own calling

within their community, and providing

training, encouragement and expertise to help

them fulfil it. ‘For one diocese in Tanzania,

evangelism and capacity building were key,’

Peter recalls. ‘And we helped them to

concentrate on those crucial activities.’

Church mobilisation does not focus on what

we can give to poor communities. Instead, it

concentrates on the resources that churches

already have. ‘Conventional development has

been the same,’ says Peter, ‘so organisations

from other countries come in to “do things”.

But this sets up an expectation that people

outside will come and carry out the work –

so communities sit around and wait.’

‘Of course, the first few years of

development are usually about doing things

for the people. But this does not change the

people. So long-term empowering and

capacity building helps the church realise

the potential God has given them.’


‘Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, unuttered or expressed; the motion

of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast,’ wrote 19th century poet

James Montgomery. Because prayer is powerful, we’re uniting as a

Global Poverty Prayer Movement. Together, we want to light up the

world with our prayers.

Words: Amy Church

Illustrations: Crush

one voice

LIGHT UP THEWORLDWITH PRAYER


One night in CajamarcaIt was a cold, dark evening in rural

Cajamarca, Peru. And the men, women and

children walking into the dimly lit church

were hunched over and stiff with cold.

We were filming the church service,

concentrating on the job in hand –

avoiding tripping over the wires, trying to

get the light and sound right… not paying

as much attention to the service as we

should have been. And then the

congregation started to pray, and we were

blown away…

Led by Pastor Eulogio, an elderly farmer

with a booming voice, everyone came to

the front of the room. They fell to their

knees, lifted their hands, and prayed.

Maybe I’ve led a sheltered prayer life,

but this was praying like I’d never seen

before. I don’t know exactly what the

congregation were praying for, but,

together, they were quite simply pouring

out their hearts.

Some knelt and prayed quietly to God.

Others cried out loud, tears pouring down

their faces. This was raw, honest,

passionate prayer. Pastor Eulogio and his

congregation were praying as if their lives

depended on it.

Consider what a great forest is set

on fire by a small spark (James 3:5)

In itself, this one evening of prayer in

northern Peru was powerful. But what’s

really incredible is the fact that this scene

is being played out again and again

around the world.

As night falls in Cajamarca, and the

prayers of the villagers come to an end,

the sun is rising elsewhere, and

the prayers of others are just beginning.

Together, around the world, individuals,

groups and churches are gathering, and

praying passionately for God’s will to be

done on earth as it is in heaven.

OneVoice around the worldIn this way, we – you and your church,

me and my church, Pastor Eulogio and

his church, and thousands of other groups

and individuals – are a movement.

We’re praying together, becoming

channels of God’s love – beacons of hope

and lights in the darkness. So this year’s

OneVoice isn’t just about a Global Poverty

Prayer Week, it’s about a Global Poverty

Prayer Movement.

Join us…Congregation in El Tambo praying and crying

out to God.

LaytonThompson/Tearfund

one voice

Let’s prayIf you and your church are already committed

to OneVoice, then we look forward to praying

with you over the coming year. If not, please

join us.

We want to be channels of God’s love –

lighting up the darkness. So every single

individual voice added to this movement

will make it more powerful. Together, we’ll

shine brighter.

During the OneVoice launch week – 27

February to 6 March – individuals, groups and

churches around the world will be praying.

Some will be holding sunset or sunrise prayer

gatherings, others will be setting up prayer

rooms and PrayerPods, and some will be

hanging paper prayer stars to represent lights in

the darkness…

You or your church can choose how to get

involved – the important thing is that we pray

with OneVoice.


We’d love your church or you as an

individual to pray with us…

You can order a OneVoice pack by visiting

www.tearfund.org/onevoice or calling

0845 355 8355. The pack contains the

beautiful, all-age-appropriate, OneVoice

animated film, and a poster resource to

guide you through OneVoice.

We’ve produced lots of extra ideas and

resources to help you pray as part of

this Global Poverty Prayer Movement,

from a Prayer Plan to PrayerPods and a

PowerPoint presentation. This is a global

movement, so you’ll find many resources

available in French, Spanish, Russian and

Portuguese as well as English. All available

online at www.tearfund.org/onevoice

If you have internet access, please

come and connect with others in

the movement through the exciting

OneVoice community prayer space.

You can read prayers, praise and ideas

from around the world, and share yours,

at www.tearfund.org/onevoice

Your OneVoice prayer postcardTear out the postcard on the previous page,

fill in your prayer or message, and give or

post it to someone you know to tell them

you’re praying for them.

‘Every single individual voice

added to this movement

will make it more powerful.

Together, we’ll shine brighter.’

Transform will organise an adventure you'll never forget

(whether you’re 18, 35 or 70). You'll be the hands of Jesus where

they're most needed - be it painting, building, playing or teaching.

Meet like-minded people. See your soul shaped.

Go to www.tearfund.org/transform or call 020 8943 7777(and recommend it to someone in need of a soul-stirring experience.)

NEW family trips for summer 2011

' Visiting Africa and spending time with children living in poverty was a profound experience which stays with me - even three years on' Lauren Jones

Recovering thefullness ofthe Gospel

28

As a theologian, how do you perceive

the role and relevance of theology?

Theology should not be an academic endeavour

which seeks to feed itself by only engaging

with people in that same academic endeavour,

and is disconnected from life. To me, theology

is generated in the dialogue between the

praxis, the involvement, the commitment, the

incarnation of a church in mission and biblical

teaching. Theology is building bridges between

word and world and that constant engagement

and mutual questioning of scripture with

reality – and reality to scripture.

What do you believe is the most important

mission of the church?

One of the clearest things in Ephesians 2

is the call for the church to be a community

that incarnates God’s kingdom that has

been inaugurated in Jesus Christ but hasn’t

come to its full expression in history.

The most immediate expression of

church is to be the local community –

a welcoming, mutually supportive

place of belonging. That explains what

it is to be a church, but a church is also

what it does. Churches need a clear

understanding that the call to being

a Christian community in the world

is not for its own sake but for the

sake of others. Compassion is the

first step but that’s just the beginning

of the relationship with the reality

of poor people and the burdens

they bear. After compassion comes

recognition of the image of God

in all people, including the poorest

and least powerful.

Q&A with Ruth Padilla DeBorst

Born in Colombia and raised in Argentina by an American mother and an

Ecuadorian father (former Tearfund International President René Padilla),

Ruth Padilla DeBorst has a wealth of unique experiences of cross-cultural

missions. Ruth’s compelling life story includes the loss of her first husband on

the mission field – he was killed by car thieves in Quito. She says, ‘Life itself,

with its inherent pain and joy, has also been a powerful teacher in the hands

of a merciful God.’ Ruth is General Secretary of the Latin American Theological

Fellowship and Director of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students’

Spanish-speaking publishing house, Ediciones Certeza Unida. Ruth is also team

leader of Christian ReformedWorld Missions’ work in El Salvador.

Interview: Peter Shaw

‘Theology is building bridgesbetween word and world.’ São Paulo, Brazil: ‘In Latin America we have the

widest gap between rich and poor people. Thecontrast in inequality is grotesque,’ says Ruth.

TucaVieira

LatinAmericanTheologicalFellowship

Ruth Padilla DeBorst.

How would you define ‘integral mission’?

In Spanish we use the word ‘integral’ in terms

of ‘wholewheat’ – the bread is left whole.

You don’t take out a portion of it so that it is

whiter or softer. ‘Integral’, in that sense, is not

taking out anything that was originally there –

and should be there. ‘Integral gospel’ is really

recovering the fullness of the gospel and the

creation call that God has a claim over every

area of life. The gospel is good news for the

whole complexity of the human person.

You can’t announce ‘good news’ without

living good news and seeking everyone to

experience it in a whole way. So it will affect

our economic, political and social relations

and our ecological perspective.

Why isn’t ‘integral mission’ more commonly

understood and practised in churches?

It’s partly because some people have been

fed teachings of the New Testament but hardly

ever go back to the Old Testament and look

at the bigger picture that the New Testament

brings into being. People think about Jesus and

salvation but don’t go back to the triune God

and creation, to the call of the prophets and

demands of the law which are made to provide

full life for all.When Jesus said he has come

to give life ‘to the full’, it’s in the context of

all the meaning and experience of the people

of Israel from the beginning. There’s sometimes a

lack of holistic teaching of scripture.

What are the key challenges where you

live in Latin America?

There are monumental challenges in inequality

and injustice in Latin America.We have the

widest gap between rich and poor people.

We have the richest man in the world –

a Mexican – and masses of people in absolute

poverty. The contrast in inequality here is

grotesque. That engenders violence – the

level of murder and social strife is marked.

It’s a reality we have to grapple with on a daily

basis. And there’s the ecological degradation,

the horrendous impact of our changing climate

and our irresponsible use of natural resources.

These are particularly impacting the poorest and

most vulnerable people in the world who

‘We should define “church”as the community thatshares an understandingof its identity and missionin Christ.’

Q&A with Ruth Padilla DeBorst


LausanneMovement

Ruth Padilla DeBorst leads the Tuesday morning plenary session on Ephesians 2 at the Third Lausanne CongressonWorld Evangelisation in Cape Town, South Africa, October 2010.

Find out more about Ruth and the Latin

American Theological Fellowship by visiting

www.ftl-al.org (click on ‘English’ in the top

menu to view a translation)

How can Tearfund supporters pray

and encourage your work?

Please pray for my work with the Institute

for the Promotion of Christian Higher

Education in Latin America – we are working

with Christian graduates and teachers

that mostly teach in secular institutions.

We encourage them to really engage in

integral mission and build bridges between

their discipline of professional practice or

teaching with their vision of God’s kingdom.

And to link their commitment to Christ with

service to others.

Please also pray for the Latin American

Theological Fellowship, which is very

complementary to the institute. In July 2012

we are holding our Latin American congress

on evangelisation. This is our fifth congress,

which we hold roughly every decade.We’re

preparing a guide for people to start, and

engage with, evangelism in their own circles,

church groups and networks. It’s something

that we really want to administer wisely,

so please rally support and prayer for

this consultation.

don’t have the means to insulate themselves

from the impact of flooding or drought.

How can local churches respond to such huge

challenges in their communities?

Our understanding of church is key. If you think

of church as an institution – a place you go to –

then that doesn't have any teeth to it.We

should define ‘church’ as the community that

shares an understanding of its identity and

mission in Christ. The church’s first contribution

to the transforming of communities is just by

being the church, as described in Acts 2 and 4

and across the whole of the New Testament. It’s

a community where people can belong and are

recognised as worthy – gifted by the Spirit for

special work. Everybody – not just the pastor,

the leader or the ‘star’. Every woman, man and

child in church is gifted to build up and serve

the broader community.

‘Our understanding ofchurch is key. If you thinkof church as an institution– a place you go to – thenthat doesn’t have anyteeth to it.’

year ago, as TV

viewers stared

helplessly at

reports showing desperate pictures of suffering

in Haiti, many people were prompted to

question, ‘Where is God in this?’ But, as

Christians, we know where God is.We can

see him amid the brokenness.We join with

him to weep with those who are hurting,

and mourn with those who have lost so much.

But we don’t stop there – we turn that anguish

into action.

In the midst of the darkness of suffering, local

churches in Haiti offered a shining light. They

didn’t stand by, merely observing. In their

brokenness, they continued to serve the people

of Haiti. And, as the people turned back to God

in prayer, they also turned to local churches in

their communities.

Pastor Rene Deciere’s church, situated at

the heart of Tearfund partner CEEH’s camp

in Port-au-Prince, supported people from the

very first day the earthquake hit. Initially, they

offered food and shelter to 200 families who

came for help. They now offer counselling

and emotional support alongside prayer and

ministry to hurting and traumatised people.

Despite losing friends and relatives

themselves, Pastor Rene’s church remained

steadfast. He says, ‘There are courageous

reflection

ROI www.tearfund.ieEmail: [email protected]: +353 (0)1 878 3200Tearfund Ireland, 5–7 Upper O’Connell StDublin 1, IrelandRegistered Charity No. CHY 8600

Challenge House, 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0AD

Ty Catherine, Capel Cildwrn, Llangefni,Ynys Môn LL77 7NN

Rose House, 2 Derryvolgie Avenue, Belfast BT9 6FL

^

1

Get in touch with us!

UK www.tearfund.orgEmail: [email protected] Tel: 0845 355 835500 Church Road, Teddington TW11 8QE

Registered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland)


Words: Mathew Frost,

Chief Executive


people here in this camp. Many of them have

lost families and houses – but I still see smiles

on their faces. That is courage.’ This unwavering

response from churches in Haiti reinforces

our vision of working with and through

local churches.

But, in extreme situations, we cannot leave

one part of the body of Christ to cope alone.

That’s why Tearfund’s disaster response teams

are vital, bolstering and enabling local churches

to respond more effectively – resourced by

your generous provision of funds and prayer.

Our Tearfund response teams come from other

parts of the church body – called to support

suffering people across the world wherever

disaster hits.

So when people question where God is

in disasters, we can point to the generous

response from churches and Christians to

our Haiti appeal, courageous Tearfund staff

and our amazing local church partners –

all demonstrating Jesus’ compassion in

determined action.

Reconstructing Haiti: Building a wall at Tearfund’s Tom Gato compound.

CliveMear/Tearfund

Shining lightin Haiti

A

2010: Earthquake in Haiti; drought in central Africa; floods in Pakistan… What will hit in 2011?

We can’t predict the next disaster. But we can prepare for it.

The first few days are the most vital when delivering aid in a disaster. When you

give regularly to our Disasters Fund you can be sure your money is used most effectively –

saving lives when disaster strikes.

The World Bank’s independent evaluation shows that the frequency and intensity of

disasters is on the increase*. So we need to prepare now and increase our resources.

Just £19 a month could provide essential emergency items such as plastic sheets to provide shelter and basic household items for at least three families.

Give now. Save later.

Call 0845 355 8355, complete and return the tear-out form between pages 8 and 9 or visit www.tearfund.org/disasters

* Ronald Parker, 'Development Actions and the Rising Incidence of Disasters', World Bank Independent Evaluation Group, June 2007.

Registered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales) Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland)

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